Ukulele Diplomacy
I’m delighted to tell you that my audio piece about ukulele diplomacy is up at World Hum. And the uke you hear in the background? That’s me. Go here to listen.
Gulf Islands Roundup
Disclaimer: BC Ferries and Camping and RV in BC sponsored our travels. I love to travel in British Columbia. It’s just up the road from my home in Seattle, but it’s still a whole different country. It’s easy to travel there — there’s no language barrier — but the slight shifts in cultural norms make …
In the Neon Boneyard
Photographed with permission at the Neon Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s worth clicking through to see them full size on Flickr. I should be able to tell you all kinds of cool stories about the Neon Boneyard, but the truth is, I wasn’t totally paying attention to the guide. As great as he was, it …
Vegas Transit Follies
1. The Bus: Travel friends assured me that public transit from the airport in Vegas was nearly impossible to find, a conspiracy to make you take a cab. This made me wildly determined to find the bus, get on it, and get off at my hotel. I’d looked it up while still at home, I …
Gadgety: Noise Cancelling Headphones from Able Planet
Disclaimer: My headphones came from the marketing/PR folks at Able Planet. I don’t board a flight without a pair of noise canceling headphones. I also bring standard earbuds. They have different uses — I don’t need the big headphones when I’m up with insomnia, but I love having them on the plane — and sometimes …
Postcard from McCarran Airport, Las Vegas
Setting: Hudson News stand, departures terminal, Vegas airport. I stopped into buy the Pepto Bismol I’d been seeking for about 24 hours. Aside — you’d think they’d sell that stuff in vending machines on the casino floor, next to packets of Alka Seltzer, rehydrating drinks, and a hefty array of painkillers, but I was striking …